Mosquito outbreak in Sarasota the worst in more than two decades

SARASOTA -- Recent heavy rains have produced the worst mosquito outbreak here in more than two decades, the Sarasota County Mosquito Management Services said Monday.

''Spraying for adult-stage mosquitoes and for immature larvae alone is not enough to combat this year's mosquito problem,'' said entomologist Lyman Roberts.

The office is taking more steps to combat the pests, including mobilizing planes, boats and trucks to do aerial spraying and covering marshy areas and local waterways. They also plan to compare the effectiveness of Sumethrin, a new pesticide, to Naled, a chemical used in the past.

Crews are also out checking bodies of water for larvae daily, the office said.